What does elopement mean?
An elopement is a secret departure undertaken by a couple, traditionally in order to marry without the approval of their families or to avoid the expense and formality of a large wedding. Historically the word carried connotations of rebellion, scandal, and romance, evoking lovers escaping under cover of night. In modern usage its tone has softened considerably: many couples deliberately plan what they call an elopement as an intimate alternative to a conventional ceremony, often involving travel to a scenic destination and only a handful of witnesses or none at all. Beyond wedding contexts, elopement has a technical meaning in healthcare, where it describes a patient, particularly one living with dementia, leaving a supervised facility unnoticed. Derived from the verb elope, which entered English in the seventeenth century, the noun remains a vivid, evocative term for love pursued on one's own terms.
nounThe act of running away secretly with a lover, typically in order to marry without parental consent or to avoid an elaborate wedding. More broadly, a sudden, secretive departure or escape.
- A secret departure and marriage by a couple, usually without family approval or public ceremony.
- (Medical/care contexts) The wandering away of a patient, especially one with dementia, from a supervised facility.
"Their quiet elopement surprised the whole family, who had expected a lavish spring wedding."
"After months of planning, they chose an elopement on the cliffs of Ireland over a three-hundred-guest reception."
"The nursing home installed new alarms after several incidents of patient elopement were reported."
Standard plural; used when discussing multiple instances, such as statistics about destination weddings or care-facility incident reports.
"Destination elopements have grown steadily in popularity over the past decade."
In medieval England, couples who eloped could be fined — but the church often still recognized the marriage as valid, since all that truly mattered was consent.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of elopement
Elopement derives from the verb elope, which appeared in English in the early seventeenth century meaning to flee or run away, likely from the Anglo-Norman or Middle Dutch root aloper, meaning to run off. Its romantic association with secret marriage became established by the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when it featured prominently in literature such as Jane Austen's novels. Related forms include the agent noun eloper and the present participle eloping.
Related word forms
How elopement is actually used
Traditionally associated with secrecy and defiance of parental wishes, elopement now carries a largely positive, romantic connotation, often describing small, intimate weddings. In healthcare settings the word has a technical sense referring to patients leaving care facilities unattended.
Easily confused with elopement
Elopement implies willing flight by two consenting people, whereas abduction is taking someone against their will.